The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-27
WHITE HOUSE ETIQUETTE.
Social Grievance Which Causes Heart Burn.
ings Among Society Women
Washington Letter.


inss Among Society Women.
Washington Letter.
Several important trifies have agtated official
circles this week. The women are up in arrns
over a new fashion at the White House recep-
tons. sit used to be pleasure to co into the
Blue Room" said one the wife of an official the
other day. "but it is often very awkward now
After greeting the President and Mrs. Cleveland
and Mrs. Manning. one hardly knows what to
do with the rest of the time. l must say, like to
shake hands with people l know. But this new
tangled wrinkle that the other Cabinet women
have taken up may be all very
fine and stately, but it is not agreeable
nor pleasant welcome to guests. For instance
you shake hands with the President and his
wife, both of whom give you hearty and vigor.
Gus grasp as if they meant something. Then
Mrs Manning follows their example and greets
you in the same pleasant way. You feel that you
| are really welcome, and glad you went and got
crowded to get in. It's a reward of merit you
know, and you feel as happy as if you hadn't
struggled and suffered just minute before.
But the next minute you pass on you are
received with cold, formal bows by the other as
sistants in the line It's all very fine and state.
IL, of course, as / have said. These women stand
erect before you each with her hands as immov-
able as ii they We're manacled, and each gives
you an unbending nod of recognition.
tell you, it's just like being suddenly struck
by cold wave You feel chilled and all the
warmth and glow Of hospitality and good feeling
varishes at once. To be sure it's a new thing
Secretary Lamar's wife has got it too She
stands at the end of the line and furthest from
| the President. and by the time you reach her
you feel pretty we'll CONCEALED. Nobody expects
them to shake hands with all the strangers But
it has been the custom heretofore for the assist.
| ants to shake hands with people they knew IL
seems so absurd. when you know the Cabi-
net women in their own homes in social.
friendly way. to have them put on this formal
manner in the Blue Room. 1t makes one feel
just like staying away from the White House. Oh
no. Fatigue of handshaking has nothing to do
wit Ia <bax,' =.
season Now, you needn't tel. me that Mrs. La
mar has not been used to the old time hand
| shaking with friends. She is a Southern woman
and has never been used to any other mode Of
greeting. But the very first time the old lady
gets into line at the White House she too
catches on and repudates the old fashion she
held 1T to as the true one for half a century,
do you suppose she's been introducedr asked
a Senator'S wife, laughing.
'Of course she has"
swell, think the President ought to veto
this new-fangled wrinkle" put in brusqus
| young woman. 'If were President I'd send
them message calling attention to nv example
ana suggest they follow it and show they are in
line to assist and not simply to stand there to
be looked at. Isn't it odd, though. that Mrs.
Manning is the only one Of the Cabinet women
who follows the lead of the President and his
wife in their way Of receiving peop!e?"
Oh. she has the tact to see its the proper
thing to do She greets people in the Bfue
Room. when she knows them, much as she does
in her own house. And when strangers show
the inclination to extend their hands she meets
them fully half way and shakes hands with
them. Of course they feel more comfortable to
have the welcome of the President and his wife
followed up little along the line. Now, "a
many times I've been to the White House
really find it formidable to pass that line in the
Blue Room, and Pm not timid person either.
But its something awful for the strangers
They don't know what they are expected to do
after they pass the President aud Mrs
Cleveland. Some hitch along half put out
them hae half hnu fbaVs
straighten up, scared at what they have done
and sorry for what they've left undone Before
they get ont they are greatly embarrassed and
of course, very awkward. By the time they get
into the East Room they realize that assisting the
President ls for the most part, standing erect in
line and doing nothing. They've read about the
wives of the Cabinet officers assisting the Presi-
dent. Now they know what it all means" she
concluded, in little tone of sarcasm, as if as
sisting the President to receive meant very little
assistance after all.
when one is invited guest one expects to
be received invited guest whether one
goes to the White House or to private bouse
What would the Cabinet women say il their as.
sistants Cd Wednesdays were to stand off and
bow formally to their visitors?' asked the other.
''And yet the Cabinet receptions are really pub.
lie receptions, and the hostess shakes hands with
every stranger VINO chooses to CALL
and the assistants do the same
thing. But this hostess goes to the
White House to receive with the President and
when there in the Blue Room she draws herself
up several inches taller. and bows frieidly to
people she knows perfectly well and greets So
cially in her own house. confess don't UNDER
stand this new etiquette, whatever it may be
called. I've been going to the White House
long time-every winter since my husband has
been in the Senate-and l never saw anything
like it before this season. So It's a new thnen
"Oh, the only people they unbend to are the
foreigners said the brusque young woman.
They bow to the American officials, but they
shake hands fast enough with the diplomates
and their wives. They draw the line at u.s. Sew
eral OF us saw enough to convince us of that fact
at the last reception"
Very WELL then it is high time to resent it,
Now, no matter what inclination they may mani.
fest hereafter, to shake hands, I for one shall
pay them back in their own coin. They will
get aformal bow from me and no more after
this when l see them in the Blue Room
The above reveals the origin of social
grievance just at this time ranking in the hearts
of many society women. 1t is. 1 believe, quite
true that until the present etiquette at
the White House receptions has made it pleas
ant duty for the Presidents assistants to
shake hands with guests who were per-
sonally known to them. Assistants in
the line have always naturally
enough taken the example of the White House
mistress as law unto themselves and the guide
for action in the form of receiving guests at Off
cial receptions or visitors at the public recep-
tons. Now, however, with the exception Of
Mrs Manning, the wives of the Cabinet officers
when assisting the President have adopted what
10 senotaiiy teEmeo ''Lhe neW-1angleu Wrinkle
OF bowling instead of shaking hands. But the
new fashion is by no means we'll received. The
wives of officials resent it and are likely to rebel
against the would-be court etiquette" as some
of them term il. The new fashion is the more
surprising and marked as in direct contrast to
Mrs Cleveland's charming cordiaty and ready
handgrasp. One of q group of women talking
it lauehingly said: Secretary Bayard
ought to come to the fore and decide whether
the old or the etiquette is the proper form
of receiving. He ought to be authority" What
ever the outcome of the grievance is in the fut-
ure, the present atmosphere of the Blue Room is
different and less social than before The
talk about it is amusing because SO serious. It
is not likely to be less serious time goes on
and the grievances continue to rankie.